Towel check out/return

[MoonMan81]

Hi,

I can't believe charging for towels is still a thing in 2023, but leaving that aside, can anyone advise whether, for instance, if I take out 3 towels for the pool deck using my SeaPass card, and my wife returns them, does it mess up the accounting, or is it ok because we are in the same stateroom?

 

Also, are towels available on Coco Cay, or is it better to pick them up on the ship before getting off?

 

Many thanks MM

 

 

[OCSC Mike]

39 minutes ago, MoonMan81 said:

I can't believe charging for towels is still a thing in 2023, but leaving that aside, can anyone advise whether, for instance, if I take out 3 towels for the pool deck using my SeaPass card, and my wife returns them, does it mess up the accounting, or is it ok because we are in the same stateroom?

 

Also, are towels available on Coco Cay, or is it better to pick them up on the ship before getting off?

Your wife can return them.

There are towel stands on CocoCay. We prefer to bring our own just so we can head straight to our favorite spot and claim our loungers but that's just personal preference.

[BrianB]

There is no charge for using towels. They will charge you if you don’t return them. Usually anyone can return them…just give your cabin number. 
You can check out as many towels as you need…just remember to return them before the end of the cruise.

[Ditchdoc]

It is state room dependent, not individual.

As already said, we get our shore bag ready, with towels, the night before and  go down to the exit a little early so as soon as allowed, we head to where ever so we can get a choice spot, usually in the shade.

Note that twice now, there were two ships docked. Both arrived around dawn, and both started departure at exactly 8am. I think the captains do this so the passengers on both ships have the same opportunity.

Also note, CoCo Cay is pretty big and it allows people to spread out. If you get a fairly early start, you really do not have to race to find a good spot. If you wait until noon, well, you get the left overs but there are still plenty of chairs etc scattered around.

Finally, the staff at towel stands are not 'Towel Nazis'. Just be reasonable, return what you borrow, explain if you have some kind of mishap, and they will generally be OK with it. If you want 4 or 6 towels for 2 people, its OK. If you keep the towels overnight, its OK. At times, I've had them give me the towels and not even scan my Sea Pass. They do their job, but they are not going to crucify you over a towel. That is not to say they will not bill you if you try to keep them.

 

[cedricmr]

No problem. There are two of us in the cabin. I almost always take the towels and my husband gives them back.
RC is obliged to arrange billing. If not, the towels would never return. Personally, I prefer this system rather than the removal of towels.

[Pooch]

We check out 2 towels per person at the beginning of the cruise.  Then we just keep exchanging them for dry ones all week.  Show the attendant 4 wet ones, get 4 dry ones back.  We don’t actually return the towels til the last full day.  Then I ask the attendant to confirm all towels have been returned & we’re done.

[TXcruzer]

Book a suite; no checking out or checking in of towels. 

[Linda R]

You can get towels on Coco Cay.  But I get them onboard the night before, so am ready the next morning to go to Coco Cay.  2 weeks ago when we returned to ship from Coco Cay they had a bin for towels right after you got back onboard. But they were not checking them back in.  They just told us to tell one of the towel stations we turned them in when we came onboard, in the next day or two.  Or basically whenever we wanted.  2 days later I did that, without any problem.  Anyone can turn in your towels.  And sometimes our cabin stewart takes them to turn in, when left in room.

[SolariumSnoozer]

I always checkout and in my towels on the ship and if I need to just exchange them on Coco Cay.  The first and last time I tried checking out towels on Coco Cay, they didn't have scanners so they had to fill out paperwork to give me a towel.  This takes longer and is also prone to error.  I do not want to have to wait on the guest service line at the end of a cruise to explain why I shouldn't be charged for towels.  Whenever I turn in all my towels, end of the day or end of the cruise, I just confirm my account is zero.

[Vancity Cruiser]

On 6/17/2023 at 4:55 AM, cedricmr said:

RC is obliged to arrange billing. If not, the towels would never return. Personally, I prefer this system rather than the removal of towels.

I don't agree with this as most lines do not follow this practice. If everyone was 'stealing' towels all cruise lines would follow this practice.

[cedricmr]

34 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

I don't agree with this as most lines do not follow this practice. If everyone was 'stealing' towels all cruise lines would follow this practice.

Not necessarily stealing. But I think everyone should be responsible and bring back the towels.
Otherwise, we’ll find the abandoned towels in every corner of the ship... and outside.

[PL8SWPR]

5 hours ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

I don't agree with this as most lines do not follow this practice. If everyone was 'stealing' towels all cruise lines would follow this practice.

 

Not everyone would bring back their dirty sandy towels if there wasn't a threat of bring charged.  Without a towel return fee, that loss would be covered under the cruise fare one way or another.  Royal caribbean wouldn't eat that cost.

[ScottD]

I'm a big fan of getting 3-4 on day one, and just exchanging them all cruise for dry ones... before we go to port, when we return from port, at the end of the day if we hit the pool... it's nice to just keep swapping them for dry ones so you never have to bring wet ones back to the room. 

[Pooch]

And I feel like the less times you check them in and out, the less opportunity for mistakes to be made.

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:37 AM, Pooch said:

We check out 2 towels per person at the beginning of the cruise.  Then we just keep exchanging them for dry ones all week.  Show the attendant 4 wet ones, get 4 dry ones back.  We don’t actually return the towels til the last full day.  Then I ask the attendant to confirm all towels have been returned & we’re done.

5 hours ago, ScottD said:

I'm a big fan of getting 3-4 on day one, and just exchanging them all cruise for dry ones... before we go to port, when we return from port, at the end of the day if we hit the pool... it's nice to just keep swapping them for dry ones so you never have to bring wet ones back to the room. 

i didn't even know this was an option O.O

I like this plan very much

[CanHardlyWait]

29 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

i didn't even know this was an option O.O

I like this plan very much

I must have read this here and did this. Technically only checked out towels once on day one and just kept swapping out for dry at the end of each day to be ready for the next. Less chance of mistakes on account this way. 

[Rakaia]

Last time we went to CocoCay (in May on Oasis) we were told we had to bring towels from the ship. Those towels could be exchanged for dry ones on the island but had to originate (and be turned in for good) onboard. Previous trips they issued towels on the island using a paper list. Guess this got too confusing (especially with 2 ships there).